This week in Christian history: Charlemagne crowned, friar defends Native Americans, Martin Luther’s wife dies

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Sunday, December 20, 2020

Katharina von Bora dies – Dec. 20, 1552

This week marks the anniversary of when Katharina von Bora, the runaway nun who married Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther, died from injuries sustained in a cart accident.

Also rendered Katherine von Bora, she entered the Benedictine cloister at Brehna in 1504 for the sake of advancing her education, before becoming a nun after moving to a Cistercian monastery.

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In 1523, she was part of a group of nuns who escaped their order with the help of Luther, who she married two years later in 1525, giving birth to six children and adopting four others.

“Although Katharina’s life was full of many pains and struggles, she displayed a great deal of courage and fortitude in the face of them,” wrote Jack Kilcrease for lutheranreformation.org.

“These virtues would not have been possible without her faith in the Gospel, which freed her to follow her vocation as a wife, mother, and entrepreneur.”